Cailli and Sam in front of a piece from Douglas Coupland’s Everywhere Is Anywhere Is Anything Is Everything exhibition, currently on display at MOCCA. Clothing, all Hayley Elsaesser. Shoes, both Native. (Photo: Jaclyn Locke)
Sam: What was it like being a Canadian growing up in Australia?
Hayley: I moved to Australia when I was a teenager, and it really cemented who I am as a designer. It’s always really sunny there, so people like to have a bit more fun with fashion.
Hayley Elsaesser patches, $8–$11 each, hayleyelsaesser.com
Cailli: Maybe Canadians love bright stuff too, but it’s hiding under ski jackets so you never get to see it!
Hayley: That’s why I like to layer it all together, so you can see it all the time.
Cailli: Why do you always design such playful clothing?
Hayley: Obviously I love to have fun with colour and print, but I also love fashion that pushes people’s boundaries.
Cailli: One of your prints features an eight ball wearing a cowboy hat. How did you come up with that?
Hayley: This collection is called Midnight Cowboy, so the inspiration is kind of old-school western meets disco meets Uma Thurman in Kill Bill.
Sam: We had three magic eight balls growing up—we used to ask them everything.
Hayley: I had one when I was a kid. I threw it away because it never gave me the answers I wanted.
Sam: Is there a specific type of woman you design for, or do you design for yourself?
Hayley: I definitely keep myself in mind but, honestly, you guys are my ideal muses! Growing up I was really quiet, so I always used fashion as a way to project myself. I love the idea of using clothes to exude a playful spirit without having to say a word.
The Beckerman sister with designer Hayley Elsaesser (Photo: Jaclyn Locke)
Get Cailli and Sam’s Kiss Curls
Step 1: Create pigtail French braids, leaving out a few wisps along your hairline.
Vidal Sassoon Mega Firm Hold Gel, $8
Step 2: Gel baby hairs, slicking some on your forehead too, to help keep finished curls in place.
Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray Strong, $24
Step 3: Using the pointed end of a tail comb, sculpt hair into S-shapes, then seal in place with hairspray.
The Beckermans’ hair was inspired by singer FKW Twigs’ artful ’do (Photo: Getty Images)
Hair and makeup: Ivy Lam
Related: See more of the Beckerman sisters and their favourite designers